Brighten the Day: supporting Gateshead's children
Since 2018/19 we have increased the number of child places from 2000 to over 20,000 in 2024/25.
Following a pilot scheme in 2022/23 the HAF team were part of a national pilot tasked by the Department for Education to co-design and develop a HAF Plus programme for 13 to 16 year olds.
Our young people come from all parts of Gateshead and our diverse communities including refugees and asylum seekers, Jewish families, looked after children and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Over the last six years, Brighten the Day and HAF Plus has developed into an important part of school holiday support for vulnerable families in Gateshead that receive benefits-related free school meals.
Funded by the Department of Education Holiday Activities and Food programme, the programme provides free healthy food and fun activities with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge and maintain a healthy level of physical activity during the school holidays for young people in Gateshead.
The HAF Plus programme was co-designed by young people in Gateshead to increase the numbers attending the HAF programme within the 13 to 16 year age range. This scheme proved a huge success and was rolled out to 180 plus teens in summer 2024.
The impact of the project
we have increased the number of child places from 2000 in 2018/19 to over 20,000 in 2024/25
provides consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities and improves post-holiday school readiness
includes participants from all parts of Gateshead and our diverse communities including refugees and asylum seekers, Jewish families, looked after children and Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
identified an absence of teenage involvement within the mainstream HAF programme in 2022 which in turn has led to the successful implementation of the HAF Plus programme for 13 to 16 year olds
provides participants and their families with information, signposting or referrals to other services and support
provides nutritional information and in-club cooking activities through our pop up kitchens
Our community physical activity team also partners with the Hat Trick project who deliver activities on MUGA (Multi Use Games Areas) and fields within housing estates of priority areas and so removes barriers around transport and accessibility. Their turn up and join in model coupled with music and a range of activities to choose from, proves a highly effective way of engaging young people.
feedback from parents and carers reported that the benefits to their young people has been hugely positive. Attendance has made their young person happy, more confident, more independent, build friendships and better prepared to return to school in the following term.
Supporting people in Gateshead to thrive
The programme ensures vulnerable children and young people in Gateshead are able to enjoy healthy food and activities, in a safe and secure environment, during the school holidays.
Taking part in fun and engaging activities that support their development and wellbeing and maintain a healthy level of physical activity. Activities range from bike rides, nature walks, arts and crafts, sports activities, healthy cooking and much more.
The HAF Plus programme also offers the young people the independence to organise their own time by choosing their activities and booking their travel with their friends using a 28 day all-zone Tyne and Wear travel pass.
Gwen Young, HAF Programme Support Officer said: "No local authority implements HAF in the collaborative way Gateshead does.
HAF experienced young people designed the HAF Plus programme, which we then implemented in the HAF Plus App. They became involved in the app design and testing and could now legitimately sit back and enjoy the summer programme, but no!
As well as all their fun activities, they are helping the council's HAF team quality assure the Brighten the Day programme (HAF for the under 13s) by getting the opinions of the children at many of our club monitoring visits." "If I was not in the HAF Plus programme I would just be sitting at home most of the time."
Young people who attended HAF Plus said:
"If I was not in the HAF Plus programme I would just be sitting at home most of the time."
"I had fun, built new friendships, kept active, used my imagination, became more confident and becoming more independent."
"The best part was travelling around and having something to look forward to each day."